Lauric acid: structure, properties and sources

Chemical structure of lauric acid

Lauric acid (12 carbon atoms) was discovered by Marsson T. in 1842 in the seeds of Laurus nobilis, from which its name.
It is a saturated fatty acid (no double bond so in shorthand 12:0) member of the sub-group called medium chain fatty acids (MCFA), from 6 to 12 carbon atoms.

Properties of lauric acid

In purified form it is a white crystalline powder insoluble in water, with melting point at 44-44.2 °C (111.2-111.56 °F; 317.15-317.35 K) also reported as 48 °C(118.4 °F; 321.15 K) and boiling point at 225 °C (437 °F; 498.15 K) at 100 mmHg or 298.9 °C (570.02 °F; 572.05 K) at 760 mm Hg.
It has a faint odor of baby oil or soap and is used in many soaps and shampoos in the form of sodium lauryl sulfate.

Other names of lauric acid

n-dodecanoic acid

duodecylic acid

dodecylic acid

dodecoic acid

vulvic acid

laurostearic acid

dodecylcarboxylate

1-undecanecarboxylic acid

12:0

Sources of lauric acid

Lauric acid, as glycerol ester, is found in high amount in some tropical oils.
It is present in high quantity in coconut oil and palm kernel oil, approximately 45 g/100 g edible portion.
It should be noted that palm kernel oil is extracted from the seeds of oil palms, while palm oil from the pulp of the fruit of oil palms.
In the other vegetable fats and oils, tropical or not, such as extra virgin olive oil, corn oil, palm oil, soy oil, sesame oil, margarine, peanut butter, and so on, it is absent or present in low amount (e.g., margarine, 0.76 g/100 g edible portion).
It is also virtually absent in the fat of red and white meat, eggs, and fish products. Small amounts are found in the lard, 0.23 g, and smoked eel, 0.28/g/100 g edible portion.
It is present in low concentrations, <2.5 g/100 g edible portion, in milk and dairy products (the highest content is found in butter, 2.4 g/100 g edible portion).
In fruit, it is abundant only in coconut, both fresh and dried, with respectively 16 g and 29 g/100 g edible portion. It is not present in the other fruit.
It is not found in cereals and legumes.